Needle threader



Feb- 9, 1954 R. B. I ILLARD ET AL NEEDLE THREADER Filed Jan. 4, 195o 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F IGZ.

FIGB

FIG. 4 HG.

F'IQQ and add

www 1mm .m NLLW. VB. .A @www Feb. 9, 1954 R. B. LILLARD ET AL 2,668,644

NEEDLE THREADER /OFilEd Jan. 4, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet v2 /NVE/VTQQJ Und R. Es, L l LLARD Patented Feb. 9, 1954A NEEDLE THREADER Rufus Bibb Lillard, El Paso, Tex., and William W.

Lillard, Beaumont, Calif.;

said Rufus Bibb Lillard assigner to said William W. Lillard Application January 4, 1950, Serial No. 138,076

4 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to sewing needles and more particularly to needle threading devices.

As far as applicants are aware, needle threadf ers heretofore proposed which employed guiding means for helping to insert a quite small and relatively delicate notched thread-pulling member through eyes of needles had these objections. The guiding means, usually metallic, engaged against one or more side surfaces of a needle and thus tended to mar the important smooth finish of the surface. Also, such guiding means required some skill and considerable care to use satisfactorily.

One object of the present `invention is to profvide improved guiding means in needle threading devices.

Another object is to provide guiding means forming an element of a needle threading device which safeguards the outer smooth surfaces of a sewing needle against being marred and roughened.

Another object is to provide a needle threader that can be manufactured and sold at prices which will permitit to be oiered as a trade premium to purchasers of a package of needles at no extra cost.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a sewing needle having an aperture guide element eiective for cooperation with other guide elements of a needle threader.

Other objects and advantageous feature of our invention will appear as the description proceeds.

With reference to the drawings which form a part of the specification:

Figure 1 is an enlarged side view, broken away in part, of a needle of well known form and a needle threader which embodies certainfeatures f our invention having its leading end projected through the eye of the needle. Figure 2 may be considered an enlarged cross-sectional view along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 in the direction of the arrows. Figure 3 is a viewsimilar to Figure 1 and shows a modified form of the threader of Figure l. Figure 4 is an enlarged yside view,

Vbroken away in part, ofl an improved needle eml bodying one feature of our invention. Figure 5 /is an enlarged side view, brokenaway in part, of

the needle structure shown in Figure 4 with a needle threader especially designed for use with such a threader extending partly through the eye of the needle and a guide aperture adjacent the eye. Figure 6 may be considered a crosssection along the line 6 6 of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a cross-section along the line l-l of Figure 5,A

a phantom partial View of the needle structure being also shown. Figure 8 is a greatly enlarged cross-section along the line 8--8 of Figure 4. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an alternative construction of the body of a threade'r similar to that of Figures 5 and 6. Figure 10 is a much enlarged cross-section through a needle threader embodying our invention made similarly to the threader of Figure 2 of Very thin exible steel and having a very thin coating of a material softer than steel. Figure 11 is an enlarged view from one side broken away in part, o f a hand sewing needle having a guide aperture which embodies a feature of our invention and a needle threader in cooperative relation to the needle aperture. Figure 12 is a view similar to that of Figure 11 and shows the threader in another relation to the needle. Figure 13 is an enlarged cross-section through the structure of Figure 12 along the line |3-I3. Figure 14 is a partial enlarged view as from the right side of a sewing machine needle in place in a sewing machine which needle embodies a feature of our invention.` Figure 15 is an enlarged view as from the front of the sewing machine mentioned in the description of Figure 14 ofthe needle shown in Figure 14 and shows a guide member in cooperative relation to the needle, both the needle and guide member being broken away in part. Figure 16 is'an enlarged side view as from the right hand side of a sewing machine of an element of a needle threader device which'embodies certain featuresof our invention. Figure 17 is a partial enlarged view of the structure of Figure 16 as from the right of the sewing machine and shows other elements of the threader device in cooperative relation to the element illustrated in Figure 16. Figure 18` is an enlarged side View, broken away inY part, of a sewing machine needle and a needle gripping member of Aa sewing machine whch member embodies a feature 'of our invention.

It is to be understood that the structures shown in the several views of the drawings are operative devices but are for illustrative purposes mainly.

The present application is asubstitute for and a continuation-in-part of our joint application Serial Number 581,634, filed March 5, 1945.

According to one embodiment of our invention as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a needle N having an eye E of usual shape and dimensions, except as hereinafter appears, is' shown. The end of an eye of a hand sewing needle nearest the rear end of the needle is the` end which ordinarily engages the work piece, i. e. length of sewing thread and therefore deserves and usually gets more attention as to its smooth finish when manufactured. For reasons and advantages presently to appear, the eye E of the needle N is preferably materially longer than the eye in a sharp needle of the same length. The length of such an eye, E, is ordinarily several times its Width but the length of an eye in a small, socalled sharp needle for hand sewing is only a small fraction of an inch usually. A threader generally designated as Ill is made of four elements II, I2, I3, and I4 formed by lengthwise folding of a strip of material to have a crosssection resembling a W.

This strip of material will preferably -be very iiexible and somewhat resilient and softer than the metal, usually hard steel, from which needles are commonly made. This strip of material may be a suitable cellulose plastic, such for example, as that known to the trade as Celluloid. It mai7 also be made of thin hard rubber or other flexible plastics, and can be made of metals, such as brass or aluminum, which are considerably softer than steel. And as is pointed out hereinafter, the strip can be Ina-de of thin, exible, resilient steel having a softer protective coating, preferably in a bright color.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the strip material of the threader may be folded to have two wide outside fold elements II and I2 and two narrower inside fold elements I3 and I4 for a purpose presently to appear. The width of the outside elements II and I2 is slightly less than the length of the smallest eye of :a needle through which the threader is to be passed. The aggregate thickness of the four strip elements I-I, I2, I3 and I4 is slightly less than the width of the smallest needle eye through which the threader,

is to be passed, the strip elements being pressed closely together when passing through a needle. The resiliency, of Ithe material cause the strip elements to spread out into their W form again after having been passed through a needle.

The W-like form of cross-section of the threader I gives it additional resistance totransverse bending which is desirable in view of the exceptional thinness of the strip elements in some cases. The end portions of the four strip elements are cemented together to form a single end portion I5 with a pointed end I6 at the leading end of the threader and an end por-tion Il' at the rear or trailing end of the threader. The lengths of the forward and rear end portions are indicated by the dotted lines I8 and I9, respectively. These lengths may vary considerably however. The length of the forward cemented portion vpreferably is eno-ugh to permit this portion to be grasped between a persons thumb and first finger and leave at least the pointed end I6 projecting to be inserted through the eye of the needle.

For pulling a length of sewing thread rthrough the eye E, a notch 2I is provided in the rear end portion I'I and may have a form as is `described more particularly hereinafter in conj nection with the structure of Figure 5. If desired,

Y ation is completed.

As the thread 20, looped in the notch 2| passes t.through the eye E, twice the thickness of the i thread is added to the thickness of the threader which must pass :at the same time through the eye E. By placing the notch 2| at the top edge of the threader and by positioning the juncture of the folded strip elements I3 and I4 below the bottom of the notch 2I, it can be seen that only two thicknesses of the very thin strip elements, I I and I2, and only two thicknesses of the thread 20 have to be accommodated, i. e. passed through the eye E in using our threader. In some cases, it may be :advantageous to have the rear end portions of strip elements I3 and I4 under the notch 2I out away at the line I9. After the threader I0 has been pulled entirely through the needle N by a movement of the users arm away from the needle, a small additional movement of the same arm in the same direction will pull the threader clear of the sewing thread in most cases. Especially, if the thread has already been knotted and is of usual or moderate length.

l It will be noted that the sewing thread 20 is pulled through the eye E in contact with the interior surface of the eye that is usually the smoothest nished portion of the interior surface. This reduces the danger of fraying small thread bers. This result is obtained by guiding the notch in close proximity to the rear end of the eye E.

In Figure 3 is illustrated another form our invention may take. A threader body 30 may be of the same construction as the threader II) except that the outside strip elements 3I and 32 may have arcuate forms as to their crosssections approximately as is indicated in Figure 3. This arcuate form tends to increase the resistance of the body 30 to sidewise bending, but will flatten out readily when passing through the eye of a needle if such is necessary. In some cases as when the threader body 30 is to be used with an extra small needle the two ends of a short loop 33 of thread extra small in diameter and made of some unusually strong material such as natural or artificial silk-like fibers such as is known to the trade as nylon may be cemented strongly to the inside faces of the outside strip elements 3I and 32 near their trailing ends. In use, with the needle having its .pointed end up, one end portion of a length of sewing thread 34 is put through the loop 33 and the threader body 30 is passed through the needles eye and pulled until the loop 33 and thread 34 pass through and are disengaged one from the other when a knot 35 engages against the needle. It will -be noted that the work piece, the thread 34, is made to engage against the smoothest portion of the eye surface while it is being pulled through the eye.

In Figure 4 is shown a needle for hand sewing that is especially well suited for use with threaders according to our invention. This needle may have a body I0r of the same outward form or appearance of a needle of the same size of usual construction except as to the eye and adjacentareas. In the body 40, the eye includes an eye element 40e which may be substantially the same in construction and form of eyes of lusual construction in similar needles. There is also an eye element 4I which may be a narrow slot extension of the eye element 40e. At each side of the needle 40, i. e. at each end of the" slot element 4I is provided a small flared mouth for the slot. In each of these mouths, there are provided numerous, small, shallow, dulled-edge Vthe body for engagement vby the users thumb and first finger. The preferred width of the slot eye element 4I will presently appear.

1A needle threader 50 showing another form our invention may take -is well suited for use with improved needle of Figures 4 and 8. The threader 50 may be made of thin, flexible, resilient material like that described above in connection with the threader |0. It may have a strip element 5| anda strip element 52 integrally joined along a lengthwise edge at the upper side of the threader. These strip elements 5| and 52 may each have an arcuate cross-section, as indicated in Figure 6, which will enable the material of the strip elements to be quite thin and' yet have a sufficient resistance to transverse bending. The threader 50 has a thread-receiving notch 54 which may be approximately the size and shape of the notch 2 I. Therefore, the following description of the notch 54 may be applied to the notch 2|, although it is to be understoodthat either of these notches may be made in a number of different forms without departing from the present invention. It is desirable, however, that the notches 2| and 54' eachhave a thread-receiving hole 60 larger than the thread and a flaring inlet or mouth elementA 6| for the hole that slopes downwardly toward the leading end of the threader. By this construction, the thread is unlikely to slip out of the notched hole 60 as the threader is moved forwardly in passing through a needle. And a noselike element 52 which is formed by making the mouth will slope toward the trailing end of the threader and thus be unable to hang or catch on the needle at the sides of the eye as the threader is passed through the latter since the nose will be flexible.

'A leading end portion 55 of the strips 5| and 52' may be formed with a point 56 and be cemented together to facilitate passing the point through an eye ofra needle. Trailing end portions 51 of the strips 5| and 52 may be cemented together a short distance in advance of the notch 54. The length of the end portion 55 may be as indicated by the dotted line 58 or as long as described above for the end portion |5.y Y

The strips 5| and 52 formed with arcuate crosssections will flatten out readily as they pass through the eye elements 40e and 4|- and will resume their arcuate forms afterwards because of the resilience of the material from which they strip which is folded lengthwise and thereafter has the point 5B ,and notch 54 made by a single stamping operation on a stamping press. Or the stamping `operation may be performed first. The thickness of the strip stock from which the threader 50 is made will, in most cases, be only a few thousandths of an inch. The width of the slot element 4| will be only a little more than twice the thickness of the strip stock. v

The cementing at each end of the threaders I0 and 50 is at one operation at a very small expense. Thus it can be seen by those skilled in manufacturing practices that we are able to -provide an improved needle threader for a low man-Y engaged from thethread without returning the;

threader through the needle.

In' Figure 9 is illustrated a construction ofa strip suitable for making a needle -threader according to our invention. A body 'I0` may have an inner stiiening means Vin the form of la thin strip of steel inclosed by two strips of suit` able thin, soft plastic material 12 and 13. actual use the body '|0 may have approximately the same thickness throughout its' width and length. A threader may be constructed from lthe body '|0 in accordance with the disclosures here-v inbefore. l Y f With regard to the structures shown in Figures. 11 and 12,A a needle threader generally designated as |00 may have its body portion |0| made of hard magnetized steel 'in a usual U-shaped` form. l A lower arm |02L (as viewed in Figure 11) may be made with a narrow lengthwise slot |03 in which-may be mounted on a pin |04 a guide member |05. This guide ts tightly in the slot.

|03 so that friction will hold the guide positively |06 for a purpose presently to appear.

Figure 11) and a lower notch |09.

needle EN in a well known way. i f

A hand sewing needle adapted for use with. the. threader of Figures 1l and 12 may havela long: thread-receiving eye such *as is vfound in thefk widely used Crewel needles, or be madewith'av shorter thread-receiving eye such as the eye ||0f and a threader guideslot ||2 positioned a pre determined distance along the needle'from theeye H0. The slot will preferably be made considerably narrower than the width of the eye ap.-

proximately as indicated in Figure 4. A portionv of metal stock between the eye |||J and slot H2..l` is advantageous since it enables a needle to safely withstand more severe strains from a thimblev needle can! on a persons fingerthan a Crewel withstand.

'Theguide `member |05 extends outwardly short distance farther than the thread puller |01 and the latter necessarily enters the eye yI I0 when the guide has been inserted a short distance in..v

the guide slot H2. Attention is directed to the. marked advantage of the magnetized body |0| and the groove |05 whichrhold a needle steadyA against the body While a loop of thread L is being placed in the notch |08 with one hand. ,The other hand can grasp the bodyfmore securely and easily than it could a much smaller needle. The surfaces of the -end of the lower arm |021. in the groove |06 may have `a thinsoft' coating G of amaterial such as lead or copper appliedin a way that does not affect detrimen` tally to a'material extent the magnetism of the body. Such a coating safeguards the important smooth nish of a needle. The thread puller |07 may have a similar soft coating (not illus?l trated) deposited by Yelectro-plating process.

When the threader |00.` is to be used to thread anordinary short eye hand needle such as is shown in Figure 1, the guide |05 is swung down to inoperative position and the thread puller is simply inserted in the eye of the needle and the threader used in a well known way except thatL the user grasps only the threader body |0|` oon-- veniently while the `work isbeing ,done.

For using the threader to thread a needle in an ordinary domestic sewing machine (not shown) the upper arm 02U is disposed below the lower arm |02 L with the guidel element |05 in its inoperative position. The thread puller |01 is inserted in the eye of the needle and the magnetism of the body |0| servesr to hold the threader more steady in its relation to the needle while a loop of thread is being placed in the notch.- |09, the latter then being disposed on the upper side of the thread puller. f

'I'he guide member |05vr may be made from thin, stiff steel since it will engage against no polished surfacesY of a needle but is adapted for engaging interiorly disposed surfaces only. The thread puller |01 may in somecases be made satisfactorily of thin cellulose strip material as shown in Figures 1 and 9 except that the notch.y

element will be positioned as indicated in Figure l1.

Another embodiment of our invention is illus.Y trated in Figures le and which is designed: especially for use in threading domestic sewing A sewing machine needle of a,

machines. Well known constructionrexcept as appears hereinafter may have an upwardly disposed, en-

larged body or attachment element |3|, a relatively long shank portion |32 and a pointed end v portion |33 with a usual thread-receiving eye |34. vA small ball-like, integral enlargement |35 of theneedle |30, is provided adjacent the lower extremity of the bodyY 3|Y for a purpose presently toappear.

Through theenlargement |35 there is provided a threader guide aperture |36 which may include `the needle |30. As will presently appear,Y in

cases where the base or body element |3|, issufliciently long or great in diameter, the ball-shaped element |35 may be omitted.

For fitting snugly in theguide, aperture` |36,V

thereV isprovided a needlethreader guide member |39 whichA includes a roundish rod-like element |40 adapted for ttingsnugly in the hole |31 and a relatively thin, stiff strip-like element |4| integrally-joined ,with therrodA |40 for fittingY snugly intheslot element |38 along most but preferably. notwall ofpits length. The guide member4 |3,9, m,aybe mounted Yin a suitable way on a body member |0| of appropriate size to replace the guide member |05. The functioning of such guidegmember onan needle threader |00 can be understood Yfrom al consideration of thev disclosure hereinbeforeregarding theneedle thread@ er |00, f or threading a` hand sewing needle HN. The threading of a needle |30Y with ,thewthreader |00..u`sing the guidemember |39 would reduire the threader body |0| to be turned to dispose the arm.|02L above arm |02U.

Another means by which the guide numberY |39 and an associated thread pulling member (not shown) may be cooperatively mounted for threading a sewing machine needle will presently appear.

InV Figures 16 and 1'7, thereare illustrated means for carrying outour invention with a domestic sewingr..machine needle |50vv of usual.

8;). construction without changing the needle in. any way. A guide collar member |5| of light metal or plastic is clamped around the needle just below the usual body or attachment portion by a thumb screw |52 after an'uprightly disposed positioning arm element |53 of the collar enk gages against the shank of a usual set or thumb screw V|54 which ordinarily fastens. the needle in'V a sewing machine clamp |55 of. wellr known con.- struction. The upper endof the arm |53 may be made with a V-shaped notch |56 to engage positively each side ofV the screw andy holdthe collar securely against rotative move-around the needle |50.

Extending through the collar |5|, areA two guide apertures |51 which may be drilledl holes.

For fitting snugly inthe apertures two small..V

straight, stiif metal rods |58 are provided. These rods may be fastened rigidly to or embedded inan upper body member |60 made of metal ora suitable plastic material such as are made fromcellulose. The lower end of the member may beV made with a socket element |6I of a size to fit1 tightly around a cooperative plug element |62 integral with a lower body member |63. A; thread moving or pullingunit |64 may .be rigidly fastened to or embedded in the lower body member in alignment with the eye 'of the 'needle |50. This unit may include` a attened tubular member |65 in which may be detachably fastened a notched thread puller |66 by a setv screw |67. o v Y In the lower endV of ther'lower body member |63Y may be fastened a small partly protruding piece of sponge rubber |68 for engaging against a-zbed element MB of thesewingmachine if the needle carrying means (not shown) are accidentally moved downward While the body members |60v and |63 are operatively positioned on the ma.-

chine. This piece of sponge rubber can thus actl as a safeguard for the small; thread puller |66'.

For assembling in xed relation, one tothe other, at the factory, the upper and lower bodyy members |60 and' |63, sothat acomposite body of a needle threader for use with any one of several different needles of different lengthsr may In Figure 18 thereis illustratedhow acertairr widely used form of needle clamping Ymember |10 of a domestic sewing machine may-be made to serveas an element of a needle threading device. Two small guide apertures such as drilled holes may be madern the member |01. These holes preferably are spaced one on each side of a machine needle |12`of well lmown'construction positionedQusually at-cr near `thecenter of Y the member |10 by a set screw Whichordinarily is turned in and out byaknurledlhead; |13. It

may be desirableYin-some cases `to* turn thescrew by means of a diametrical hole |14 through the headanda small rod-like member |15 such as a ,discardedrneedle insertedV throughY the hole Y |14. By such.arrangement,thediameter ofthe head |13may be small enough that it will not` interfere with the insertion of guide rods. such guide holes or apertures |1|. device .such as that shown inFigures 16 andl 17 which s mounted on thebodymembers: |60 and..y

|63' may be employed with the needle clamp member |70.

By making the needle clamp larger in diameter, a set screw having a knurled head of usual size may be employed without interfering with rods in the apertures |1| It will be noted that the guide |39 may be mounted on the upper lbody member |60 and a needle threader structure of suitable size according to Figures 16 and 1'7 may be used for threading the needle |30.

It can be readily seen that the clamping member |10 may be lengthened at the top and con. struoted with a guide aperture for receiving with a close nt the guide member |39 which in such case would replace rods to go in the apertures |1|, which also could be eliminated.

Certain of the advantages of our improvements will appear from a reading of the foregoing description. Other advantages arise from the provision of means for safeguarding the necessarily small thread-pulling members used in threading sewing machine needles from being bent and thereby ruined usually, since the clearance for a perfectly straight thread puller is quite small in most cases.

Other advantages arise from the provision of means for expediting the threading of sewing machine needles and needles with extra small eyes for hand sewing of certain kinds.

Other advantages arise from the provision of means for safeguarding the thread-pulling areas of eyes in needles from having the essential smooth finish of these eye areas abraded by a careless person pushing or pulling a metallic thread moving member against these areas. Other advantages arise from the employment of a needle having a portion of increased thickness in which may be made a guide aperture of a practicable size without weakening the needle objectionably.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. For use with a sewing needle having a body pointed at one end, a thread receiving eye in said body adjacent said pointed end, and an irregular shaped cross-section guide opening in said body spaced from and in axial alignment with the thread receiving eye, a needle threader device comprising a threader body element normally disposed in initial work position substantially parallel to said needle body adjacent thereto, a stiff guiding rod member rigidly fastened to said threader body element in alignment with said guide opening and having a length at least as great as the distance between said needle and said body elements initial work position, said guide rod member having a cross-section approximately complementary to said guide opening and adapted for sliding therethrough with a snug, push fit, and a thread pulling device fastened to said threader body element and extending therefrom on the side next to said needle in alignment with said eye, said thread pulling device being spaced from said rod member a distance equal to the distance between said eye and said guide opening, said thread pulling device having a crosssection at its outer end portion materially smaller than the cross-sectional area along the Y length of said needle of said eye, and a length materially shorter than the length of said guiding rod member.

2. The structure described in claim 1 characterized by said thread pulling device having a notch in its side that is uppermost in operative position, said notch being spaced from said threader body a. distance exceeding the distance from the final operative position of said threader body to the side of said needle farthest from said threader body.

3. The combination with a sewing machine needle having a pointed fabric piercing end portion, an enlargement of said needle adjacent its upper end, an eye, and needle threading guide means including work surfaces of aperture elements extending through said needle enlargement transversely to the long axis of said needle; of a needle threader device including a body member normally disposed in initial work position alongside said needle, a thread pulling member fastened to and extending from said body toward said eye and having a thin element adapted for passing through said eye, stiff, guide means fastened to said body and extending toward said aperture elements a greater distance than said thread pulling member extends toward said eye, said stiff guide means having work surfaces approximately complementary in cross-sectionto said aperture elements, said stii guide means being spaced from said thread pulling member a distance equal to the distance between said aperture elements and said eye and positioned relative to said thread pulling member as to cause the latter to be passed through said eye as said guide means are passed through said aperture elements.

4. The structure described in claim 3 modied by said needle threading guide means including a guide aperture round in part, at least, extending through said enlargement centrally disposed therein parallel to the work path through said eye, and two guide elements on said needle disposed in parallel planes, one guide element on each side of the axis of said aperture; said structure being modified further by said stif guide means on said body having Work surfaces in approximately complementary relation to said guide elements on said needle.

RUFUS BIBB LILLARD.

WILLIAM W. LILLARD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 524,896 Goldman Aug. 21, 1894 r135,211 Coffey Aug. 4, 1903 1,260,611 Welling Mar. 26, 1918 2,167,080 Mason July 25, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 377,459 Great Britain July 28, 1932 

